Statement of Faith

What we Believe:

The Bible

We believe the Bible is God’s message to humans. The sixty-six books of the Old Testament and New Testament are from God. Human authors wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit to produce a perfect unified product. Since the Bible is from God, it is without error. God has kept His promise to preserve His word.Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 30:5; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:15-16; Hebrews 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:21

God

We believe God is an eternal and self-existent Trinity. God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit are equal and unified in nature. God is the creator of the universe. Every creature is subject to His authority and final examination.Genesis 1:1; Psalm 90:2; Habakkuk 1:12; Matthew 3:16-17; 28:19; John 5:26; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; Hebrews 4:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13; James 4:12

Jesus

We believe Jesus is the eternal Son of God who was conceived in the womb of a virgin. He lived a perfectly righteous life and died on a cross for the sins of the world. He physically rose from the dead on the third day. He currently sits at the right hand of the Father in an exalted position of authority. Jesus will return to earth to reign as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. We worship Jesus.Luke 1:30-35; John 1:1; 3:18; 8:58; 10:30; 1 Corinthians 15:4; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:9-11; Hebrews 8:1; 10:12; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 2:2

Holy Spirit

We believe the Holy Spirit is God. He gives spiritual life. He adds believers into the body of Christ at the moment of salvation and indwells them for a lifetime. He empowers believers to proclaim Jesus to the world and build up each other toward Christ-likeness. He leads, guides, convicts and gives illumination that is in harmony with Scripture.John 14:17; Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Ephesians 4:30; 2 Timothy 1:14; Galatians 5:22-23; John 16:13

Satan

We believe Satan is an evil angel who chose to revolt against God. He affected the rebellion of other angels that are known as demons. Satan is a liar, a slanderer, an accuser, and a counterfeiter. He introduced sin, evil, and chaos into the universe. His doom was sealed by the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. He will one day be thrown into the Lake of Fire.Isaiah 14:12-15; Ezekiel 28:11-19; Matthew 25:41; John 8:44; Revelation 20:10

Salvation

We believe salvation is a gift provided by God. It is received by faith in the person of Jesus and His death, burial, and resurrection. Salvation is only accessible through Jesus Christ. At the moment of conversion, a person’s status is changed before God for all time. God no longer views the person as a sinner but as His own adopted child who has received the righteousness of God. We affirm the believer is held eternally secure by God.John 1:12; 3:16; 10:27-29; 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 15:3-4; Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 2:14

Human Beings and Sin

We believe God created humans in His own image to reflect His nature. Sin has severely distorted that image. Because of Adam and Eve’s sin in the Garden of Eden; every man, woman, and child has inherited a sin nature traced back to Adam. Every person is born a sinner and chooses sin. Belief in the gospel removes the sin barrier between God and the individual. Each person’s soul will consciously exist forever in Heaven or Hell.Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 51:5; Isaiah 64:6; Matthew 25:46; Romans 3:9-18; 5:12; Colossians 1:21-22; 1 Thessalonians 4:17

Church

We believe the church exists to be a special people dedicated to the satisfaction and glory of Jesus Christ. Local churches are visible expressions of the universal body of Christ. Jesus instituted two church ordinances: the Lord’s Supper and baptism. The Lord’s Supper is a worshipful remembering of Christ’s sacrifice for sinners. The elements used are symbolic of the body and blood of Jesus. Water baptism follows conversion and is a public picture of the internal change of a new believer. We believe immersion in water is the Biblical pattern for baptism.Matthew 26:26-28; 28:18-20; Mark 1:10; John 3:23; Acts 8:39; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 2 Corinthians 11:2; Ephesians 3:6; 5:30; Hebrews 13:21; 1 Peter 2:5, 9-10

Future

We believe those who have been saved go directly into the presence of God at death to spend eternity with Him, believers of all ages, and angels. Unbelievers go to Hell at death and consciously experience torment in the lake of fire forever. We believe in the imminent return of Christ for his people. God has a plan of redemption for the world that includes judgment, the return and worldwide reign of Jesus Christ as King, and a restoration of paradise.Daniel 9:24-27; Matthew 22:32; 24:15-28; Luke 16:19-31; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 2 Corinthians 4:14; 5:8; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Hebrews 12:22; Revelation 19-22